Manchester City vs Bournemouth; Premier League
Manchester City vs Bournemouth. Premier League.
Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City 2
- M Guehi (84th minute)
- J Gvardiol (91st minute)
Bournemouth 1
- M Tavernier (26th minute)
Watch match highlights
Man City 2-1 Bournemouth: Marc Guehi and Josko Gvardiol rescue victory for Enzo Maresca in first Premier League outing
Report and free match highlights as Manchester City came from behind to beat Bournemouth in Enzo Maresca's first Premier League game in charge; Marc Guehi and Josko Gvardiol both scored late to complete a remarkable turnaround after Marcus Tavernier's first-half opener
Sunday 23 August 2026 17:39, UK
Manchester City survived a serious scare in Enzo Maresca's first Premier League game in charge, forced to come from behind to earn a dramatic, late 2-1 victory over Bournemouth.
The Italian endured a nightmarish first outing as boss after being humbled by Arsenal in the Community Shield, but was reprieved when it really mattered, guiding his side to an important, if uncomfortable, first league victory.
City had plenty of chances to make their afternoon more relaxed than it turned out but were wasteful and sloppy, with individuals playing out of position in an experimental system. Marc Guehi was trusted with a role in central midfield, and was one of two defenders on the scoresheet to rescue a result that looked beyond City for the majority. "Unfortunately, this is a work in progress," Maresca said post-match.
Marcus Tavernier scored a brilliant first-half opener for Bournemouth, who played with the same guile and gusto they displayed under Andoni Iraola. Marco Rose nearly masterminded the perfect awayday on his Premier League debut. But the hosts rallied to mount a delayed revival.
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Guehi and Josko Gvardiol both scored after the 84th minute to stage a remarkable turnaround, with VAR coming to the aid of the latter after the on-field officials initially ruled the Croatian's stoppage-time winner offside. Substitute Rayan Cherki assisted both goals and drew praise from Maresca for his "unbelievable impact".
The hosts were far from convincing, but start with an all-important three points - the latest they have trailed in a Premier League home game that they went on to win since the final day of their title-winning 2011-12 campaign. A lucky omen, perhaps?
The key moments from the Etihad
13: MISS! Haaland fumbles inexplicably wide after being teed up by a surging O'Reilly run.
15: SAVE! Rayan is denied by a smart Donnarumma stop at his near post.
26: GOAL! Bournemouth stun the Etihad by taking the lead through a well-worked team goal, with Tavernier rounding off Evanilson's low driven cross.
39: SAVE! Haaland thwarted again as Petrovic tips his header around the post.
52: MISS! Guehi heads Foden's corner off target from three yards out.
75: CHANCE! Guehi gets to the byline and pulls a cross back for Haaland to skew off target. City struggling to convert.
84: GOAL! Cherki's corner is headed home by an unmarked Guehi as City unearth late leveller.
90+1: OFFSIDE! Gvardiol calmly rolls the ball into the back of the net after being slipped through by Cherki's clever pass, only for the offside flag to go up.
90+2: GOAL! VAR intervenes to overrule the on-field decision and award Gvardiol's winner.
Maresca: Man City are a work in progress
Man City boss Enzo Maresca:
On Marc Guehi's midfield role: "In this moment, it's a matter to find solutions. To see different things. I know Marc from Palace. I always thought he could be a good midfielder. Sometimes you visualise things and you need to try. Overall, it was a good performance from him. He gives us a solution for the future."
On the welcome he received from the home crowd: "It was the perfect day. I was very pleased to watch the banner at the start. And I was pleased to give the fans the joy of the three points. I was quite emotional."
On differences from defeat to Arsenal: "I feel in the same position as we were after Arsenal. I know most of the time it's normal you judge on results. But I don't see a big difference with one week ago and today.
"Unfortunately, this is a work in progress. That's why I'm looking for solutions. We need to prepare the team for the season, but for sure when you win it helps the environment, the team and the fans. We are more happy today."
Rose: Passive ending cost us
Bournemouth boss Marco Rose:
"We are competitors. We came here to win the first time. We were in a good way to do it. We did many good things. At the end, how the game went, it was quite unlucky to lose that way.
"We had two situations. One corner kick and one situation where we were too passive. A game does not last 80 minutes, it's 90 minutes. We have to defend better. Here you need to find the right triggers, which we did really well for a long time.
"We had some transition situations and scored a really nice goal. It's about details. We can build on this, it's a good foundation. But we've got no points and we play for points. The plan was good we just struggled in the final minutes.
"The game is never over here, you have to defend for five or six minutes longer."
